--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Abigail Adams could become my favorite…" description: "\"Abigail Adams could become my favorite historical sleuth.\" — Sharon Kay Penman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/sharon-kay-penman-6725_abigail_abigail-adams-could-become-my-favorite-h_2956384.png" --- # Abigail Adams could become my favorite historical sleuth. ![“Abigail Adams could become my favorite historical sleuth.” quote by Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/sharon-kay-penman-6725_abigail_abigail-adams-could-become-my-favorite-h_2956384.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/sharon-kay-penman-6725_abigail_abigail-adams-could-become-my-favorite-h_2956384.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/sharon-kay-penman-6725_abigail_abigail-adams-could-become-my-favorite-h_2956384.png) > “Abigail Adams could become my favorite historical sleuth.” [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Adams' investigative spirit makes her an engaging historical detective. **In simple terms:** Adams is a compelling historical investigator. Key Takeaway Explore history through a detective lens. Themes history investigation character Mood curious inquisitive Type literary educational When to use this quote - research - teaching - storytelling Key Concepts female agency historical narrative Questions to Reflect On - What makes a historical figure a good detective? - How does narrative shape our view of history? A Different Perspective Historical sleuths may oversimplify facts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abigail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abigail/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abigail-adams-230400/) [Adams Favorite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adams-favorite-4480781/) [Favorite Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/favorite-historical-4480780/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [Historical Sleuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical-sleuth-4480779/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [My favorite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-favorite/) [Sleuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleuth/) ## Related quotes > [In spite of all the cultural restrictions, in spite of marital or political difficulties, a strong woman continues to create and makes the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-harbach/in-spite-of-all-the-cultural-restrictions-in-spite-of-marital-or/) [Barbara Harbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-harbach/) > [You have overburdened your argument with ostentatious erudition." Spoken by Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/you-have-overburdened-your-argument-with-ostentatious-erudition-2/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“When feminist impulses are recorded, they are, almost always, the writings of privileged women who had some status from which to speak freely, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/when-feminist-impulses-are-recorded-they-are-almost-always-the/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“The Fifth Congress had recessed in July 1798 without declaring war against France, but in the last days before adjourning it did approve other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cokie-roberts/the-fifth-congress-had-recessed-in-july-1798-without-declaring-war/) [Cokie Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cokie-roberts/) > [“She was a sleuth and sleuths had to follow rules. ‘Get to the point; don’t allow the subject to digress’ was one of them”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renita-d-silva/she-was-a-sleuth-and-sleuths-had-to-follow-rules-get-to-the-point-don/) [Renita D'Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renita-d-silva/) > [“We mothers have to be part sleuth, I realized.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-greenlaw/we-mothers-have-to-be-part-sleuth-i-realized/) [Linda Greenlaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-greenlaw/) > [“I buried my father, married my sister and sorted the missing will. ' Quinn, the Celebrant Sleuth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-edwards/i-buried-my-father-married-my-sister-and-sorted-the-missing-will/) [Hazel Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-edwards/) > [“Across the rectory's east lawn, through a blizzard of flying leaves, something long and thin was flapping in the wind. A ragged figure in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cash-peters/across-the-rectory-s-east-lawn-through-a-blizzard-of-flying-leaves/) [Cash Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cash-peters/) > [“I began to appreciate that the job of an amateur sleuth was not quite so straightforward as they make out in the whodunits.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-beckham/i-began-to-appreciate-that-the-job-of-an-amateur-sleuth-was-not-quite/) [Bruce Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-beckham/) > [“Benjamin Munro was his name. She mouthed the syllables silently, Benjamin James Munro, twenty-six years old, late of London. He had no dependents, was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-morton/benjamin-munro-was-his-name-she-mouthed-the-syllables-silently/) [Kate Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-morton/) > [Danger is the snack food of a true sleuth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-barnett/danger-is-the-snack-food-of-a-true-sleuth/) [Mac Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-barnett/) > [“I rested my head on the wall behind me and closed my eyes, wishing my life had a button: Ignore All.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-brady/i-rested-my-head-on-the-wall-behind-me-and-closed-my-eyes-wishing-my/) [Rachel Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-brady/) > [In a mystery, the sleuth must be believably involved and emotionally invested in solving the crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-mott-davidson/in-a-mystery-the-sleuth-must-be-believably-involved-and-emotionally/) [Diane Mott Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-mott-davidson/) > [“I leveled the gun and fired until it was empty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-brady/i-leveled-the-gun-and-fired-until-it-was-empty/) [Rachel Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-brady/) > [Unfortunately, the heart played its own tune, and it was deaf to what the head tried to tell it.’ – Abigail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/unfortunately-the-heart-played-its-own-tune-and-it-was-deaf-to-what/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) ## More by Sharon Kay Penman > [“Outside, the sky was clear, stars gleaming in its ebony vastness like celestial fireflies. It was bitterly cold, and Hywel's every breath trailed after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/outside-the-sky-was-clear-stars-gleaming-in-its-ebony-vastness-like/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) > [“He'd never seen one so vibrant, though, or so vividly compelling... those glowing green eyes sparkling with sunlight and curiosity and silent laughter, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/he-d-never-seen-one-so-vibrant-though-or-so-vividly-compelling-those/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) > [“We've schemed and fought and loved until we are so entangled in hearts and minds that there is no way to set us free.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/we-ve-schemed-and-fought-and-loved-until-we-are-so-entangled-in/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) > [“You seem to forget, Dickon, that we are dealing with the Spider King. Louis realized, just as you have, that it would take more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/you-seem-to-forget-dickon-that-we-are-dealing-with-the-spider-king/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) > [“I asked Simon if he’d ever feared that all our struggles, all our suffering might be in vain. Not a priest’s question, and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/i-asked-simon-if-he-d-ever-feared-that-all-our-struggles-all-our/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) > [In writing my historical novels, I have to rely upon my imagination to a great extent. I think of it as 'filling in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/in-writing-my-historical-novels-i-have-to-rely-upon-my-imagination-to/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) > [“I once came upon a definition of history as ‘the process by which complex truths are transformed into simplified falsehoods’. That is particularly true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/i-once-came-upon-a-definition-of-history-as-the-process-by-which/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) > [My novels about medieval Wales were set in unexplored terrain; my readers did not know what lay around every bend in the road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/my-novels-about-medieval-wales-were-set-in-unexplored-terrain-my/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) > [“Otherwise, I’d like nothing better than…conversing with you. You’re such a deep, penetrating conversationalist, after all,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/otherwise-i-d-like-nothing-better-than-conversing-with-you-you-re/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) > [Poor Wales. So far from Heaven, so close to England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/poor-wales-so-far-from-heaven-so-close-to-england/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) > [“Richard grinned, very pleased with himself for having found a way to honor his mother, thwart his father, and serve God, while having a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/richard-grinned-very-pleased-with-himself-for-having-found-a-way-to/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) > [I was actually born in New York City, but my family moved to Atlantic City when I was five, this being my dad's home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/i-was-actually-born-in-new-york-city-but-my-family-moved-to-atlantic/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) > [“In time of war, the Devil makes more room in Hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/in-time-of-war-the-devil-makes-more-room-in-hell/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) > [“You asked what the Londoners wanted of you, and he…he said ‘ballocks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/you-asked-what-the-londoners-wanted-of-you-and-he-he-said-ballocks/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) > [“...for he of all men knew how dangerously stubborn Henry Fitz Empress could be. There were faint bloodstains upon the tiles in Canterbury Cathedral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/for-he-of-all-men-knew-how-dangerously-stubborn-henry-fitz-empress/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) [Explore all 98 Sharon Kay Penman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) ## More Abigail quotes > [Unfortunately, the heart played its own tune, and it was deaf to what the head tried to tell it.’ – Abigail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/unfortunately-the-heart-played-its-own-tune-and-it-was-deaf-to-what/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [The Language of Sand has something for everyone: myths, mystery, community, humor, grief, and ultimately healing. I found myself not only rooting for Abigail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brunonia-barry/the-language-of-sand-has-something-for-everyone-myths-mystery/) [Brunonia Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brunonia-barry/) > [Now what other evil powers do you have that I should know about?” – Abigail “I can roll my tongue.” – Sundown “I’m serious,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/now-what-other-evil-powers-do-you-have-that-i-should-know-about/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When a friend of Abigail and John Adams was killed at Bunker Hill, Abigail's response was to write a letter to her husband and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/when-a-friend-of-abigail-and-john-adams-was-killed-at-bunker-hill/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [I like all kinds of music. I listen to Abigail Washburn, the Punch Brothers, and Marc Johnson, the great clawhammer player. I also listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/i-like-all-kinds-of-music-i-listen-to-abigail-washburn-the-punch/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [You get some sleep, Abigail," Townsend told her. "I'll keep watch." "That's very gracious of you, but being that we're on an airplane..." Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/you-get-some-sleep-abigail-townsend-told-her-i-ll-keep-watch-that-s/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [You have overburdened your argument with ostentatious erudition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/you-have-overburdened-your-argument-with-ostentatious-erudition/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/let-either-of-you-breathe-a-word-or-the-edge-of-a-word-about-the/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [“Your chest is surprisingly hairy.’ ‘I hope I can’t say the same thing about you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-burgess/your-chest-is-surprisingly-hairy-i-hope-i-can-t-say-the-same-thing/) [Gemma Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-burgess/) > [What are you people talking about?” – Abigail “Nothing important. Just the end of the world as we know it, and for the record,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/what-are-you-people-talking-about-abigail-nothing-important-just-the/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“Sorry. Did you know you giggle in your sleep, by the way?’ ‘Really? How adorable of me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-burgess/sorry-did-you-know-you-giggle-in-your-sleep-by-the-way-really-how/) [Gemma Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-burgess/) > [All right, everyone. Fess up. Who just shat in their pants? C'mon. Admit it." He raised his hand. I know I did and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/all-right-everyone-fess-up-who-just-shat-in-their-pants-c-mon-admit-2/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Miss Abigail, I want to be an author because writers know when a person is lonely. I mean, when Molly read me some books,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/miss-abigail-i-want-to-be-an-author-because-writers-know-when-a/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [Step aside, boys. I have the evil powers for this.” – Abigail “My lady got mad skills.” – Sundown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/step-aside-boys-i-have-the-evil-powers-for-this-abigail-my-lady-got/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Abbey," Sarah said, "life is to be lived. If you're living, you're going to stumble along the way." "All the time?" Abigail lept to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-feehan/abbey-sarah-said-life-is-to-be-lived-if-you-re-living-you-re-going-to/) [Christine Feehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-feehan/) [Browse all 38 Abigail quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abigail/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Abigail Adams could become my favorite historical sleuth.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sharon Kay Penman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/abigail-adams-could-become-my-favorite-historical-sleuth/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abigail" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/abigail-adams-could-become-my-favorite-historical-sleuth/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/sharon-kay-penman-6725_abigail_abigail-adams-could-become-my-favorite-h_2956384.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/sharon-kay-penman-6725_abigail_abigail-adams-could-become-my-favorite-h_2956384.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/sharon-kay-penman-6725_abigail_abigail-adams-could-become-my-favorite-h_2956384.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Abigail Adams could become my favorite historical sleuth.” — Sharon Kay Penman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sharon Kay Penman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Abigail Adams could become my favorite...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/abigail-adams-could-become-my-favorite-historical-sleuth/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/abigail-adams-could-become-my-favorite-historical-sleuth/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```